HC Deb 23 July 1952 vol 504 cc528-9
45. Mr. Osborne

asked the Prime Minister if he will set up a committee to make plans for the problems that will arise when the re-armament programme is completed, and to deal especially with the conversion of the engineering industry from war to peace production, the absorption by industry of the 500,000 men who will be released from the services, and the orderly marketing of strategic stock piles of raw materials, whose prices are likely to fall appreciably.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Winston Churchill)

No, Sir. I do not think the time has come to set up such a Committee. It is always wise to look ahead, but difficult to look farther than you can see.

Mr. Osborne

Does my right hon. Friend's reply mean that he does not think that these problems are likely to arise, or that he feels that they are too far ahead and too difficult to be dealt with?

The Prime Minister

I think that is rather a difficult question to answer on the spur of the moment. I am sure that we all look forward to a time when the measures proposed by my hon. Friend will come within the area of practical politics.

Mr. Jay

Is not this a very important question? Cannot the Prime Minister at least assure us that the relevant Departments are giving some preliminary thought to it?

The Prime Minister

They are giving their full attention to this and to many other topics.

Mr. Osborne

May I ask the Prime Minister again whether, in view of the fact that the American Government have announced that in their opinion rearmament is likely to be ended by next year and that our re-armament should be ended at about the same period, these problems ought not now to be looked at?

The Prime Minister

There are different opinions on this subject. I think I saw a statement by the late Foreign Secretary suggesting that the cold war might continue for 10 or 15 years.

Mr. Jay

Would we be right in inferring from the Prime Minister's answer that he himself has given no thought to this question?

The Prime Minister

That would be rather a hazardous assumption on the part of the right hon. Gentleman who has not, so far as I am aware, at any time in his Parliamentary career distinguished himself for foresight.